Blair Lee, Ex-acting Governor Of Maryland

October 27, 1985

BALTIMORE — Blair Lee III, 69, a member of one of Maryland's oldest political families and the state's acting governor after former Gov. Marvin Mandel was convicted of political corruption, died Friday.

Lee was lieutenant governor from 1970-77, when he took over as acting chief executive after Mandel was convicted. He served through 1978, when he lost the Democratic nomination for governor to the state's current governor, Harry Hughes.

Since then he had served on the University of Maryland Board of Regents.

The federal investigation that sent Mandel to prison for racketeering forced Vice President Spiro Agnew to resign for taking kickbacks from contractors while governor of Maryland and as vice president.

The probe also exposed corruption by other officials and private citizens. But Lee's reputation for integrity never was in question.

Lee was a descendant of Civil War General Robert E. Lee and Lincoln administration Cabinet member Montgomery Blair. His ancestors also included Richard Henry Lee and Francis ''Lightfoot'' Lee, both signers of the Declaration of Independence, and President Zachary Taylor.

His father, E. Brooke Lee, was state comptroller, secretary of state and speaker of the House.